The World Health Organization (WHO), in their latest outbreak update published today, reports more cases and fatalities bringing the totals in this "out of control" outbreak to 599 cases and 338 deaths (approximately 56 percent fatality rate).

In Guinea, the epicenter of the outbreak, three additional deaths were reported, bringing the cumulative number of cases and deaths reported from Guinea to 390 (260 confirmed, 87 probable, and 43 suspected) and 270 deaths.

Guinea's neighbors to the southwest, Sierra Leone, reported four additional EVD fatalities, bringing the total cases and deaths to 158 and 34, respectively.

Liberia reported a total of 10 new cases and 8 new deaths from June 19-22, 2014, bringing their total case count to 51 cases and 34 deaths.

In 1976, the Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) Ebola outbreak tallied 318 cases and 280 deaths and the 2000-2001 Uganda Ebola (Sudan virus) outbreak, which comprised 425 cases and 224 fatalities, were the previous two largest outbreak recorded, making the current outbreak "unprecedented" in terms of geographical distribution and the numbers of cases and deaths.

Dr. Bart Janssens, MSF director of operations said, “The epidemic is out of control. With the appearance of new sites in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, there is a real risk of it spreading to other areas.”

He goes on to say, "We have reached our limits”, noting the organizations inability to send teams to the new outbreak sites.

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With over 25 years of experience and education in microbiology and infectious diseases, Robert Herriman, MPH, M (ASCP) will educate and inform about infectious diseases rare and common, those publicized in the media and those found in your own backyard. He is also the co-founder and editor of the news site, The Global Dispatch. In addition, Robert is the Editor-in-Chief of the infectious disease news magazine Outbreak News Today. Robert also hosts the talk radio program, Outbreak News This Week in the Tampa Bay area. Leads, story ideas, questions and comments can be sent to outbreaknews1@gmail.com